BoxingPlenty of home success to celebrate

DROITWICH Amateur Boxing Club enjoyed a successful night at their own show at Bromsgrove Sports and Social Club on Friday, winning seven out of 11 contests.

Light heavyweight Anthony Badams stole the show with a second round stoppage of Lloyd Dyke from Leicester.

In a hard-hitting contest, 26-year-old Badams was the more accurate puncher and gave the referee little option but to step in as he constantly found the mark.

Light middleweight Aaron Beckford, 24, picked up a good points win when outboxing Bristol's Richard Jackson but light welterweight Sam Archer, 26, was retired at the end of the first round when conceding weight to Zane Malik (Marlow).

In one of the most exciting bouts of the evening, 17-year-old Nick Humphreys showed great promise in outpointing Ben Richardson (Cheltenham). Humphreys twice forced the referee to intervene to give Richardson standing counts as he landed the more accurate and powerful punches in an all-action contest that had the crowd on its feet.

Welterweight Michael Pardoe, 25, (25) never seemed to get going in his top-of-the-bill clash with Ben Kaloza from Oxford. Both boxers worked well to the body in a technical match with Kaloza the more active in following through with two-fisted attacks and deservedly taking the decision.

Amongst the juniors there was a hat-trick of winners for Droitwich against Chepstow.

Mikey O’Toole, 14, continued his good form with an emphatic win over Jamie Morley, putting his recent defeat in the Schools National quarter-finals behind him with an outstanding performance.

Another 14-year-old, Callum Underwood, looked a talented prospect in what was only his second ever bout when outpointing Chris Diston. Luke Evans, 13, outboxed and outfought Scott Webber in another entertaining contest to take the clear points decision.

Solomon Butler, 12, also looked a star in the making as he outpointed Warley’s Jorawar Shokker with another distinguished performance.

Cousins Paul Butler, 14, and George Butler, 11, both put their heart and soul into hard contests which they lost on points, Paul on the narrowest of split decisions.

In addition to the 11 contests there were two no-decision skills bouts for Droitwich boxers making their debuts, Josiah Bryan, 11, and Liam Jones, 10.

"It was good to see the guys performing as we know they can in front of a home crowd,” commented coach Chris Andrews.

“We are now coming to a busy period and the signs are very positive for a successful second half of the season.”